17. Runaround, Blues Traveler

John Popper’s harmonica sound is practically unique in rock’n’roll, but that is not even his most distinctive contribution to Run-Around. Rather, it is his gravelly but relentlessly upbeat voice which runs through a full narrative lyric while leaving me with no clue what he is saying or singing about. Or even what is a “run-around.” “Upbeat” is the key word here, for it is the urgent rhythm that captures my full attention the first instant the background guitars start strumming. Subtly underlying all of the harmonic flourishes is a 4/4 bass line that ascends, A-B-B-C, for the entire 4:40. And what flourishes! As the most modern song on my list, it is instructive to hear how sophisticated rock has moved from the days of Earth Angel. As for those lyrics, because so many are garbled, I feel like I’m hearing old friends when the few clear phrases come through – “I like coffee, and I like tea” and “Hollywood’s calling for the movie rights” chief among them. And then there’s the opening line, “Oh, once upon a midnight dearie,” which always reminds me of a certain Christmas carol.